matrix

Darcy Palmer. 42. exploring the real world finally.

[darcyxpalmer]

INFORMATION

BASICS: Name: Darcy Palmer Age: 42 Gender & Pronouns: cis woman - she/her Place of birth: New York, USA Nationality: American

APPEARANCE: Height: 5'8" Eyes: brown Hair: dirty blonde, sort of hazel-ish, frizzy and curly Build: lean Tattoos: none

POWER: shadow walking - she can teleport through darkness and shadows, however it requires concentration, it is hindered by the light and there is physical risk in teleporting

ABOUT

Waking up on the cruise ship and realizing she was on an abandoned island along with few other people is the push Darcy needed to realize the truth - everything that came before, everything she thought she considered reality, was all actually nothing more than a lie, nothing more than a simulations.

The details of it was not something completely clear for her, why and how she got into the simulation was something still missing from her mind, but there was simply no other explanation she could accept for landing on the island with some random people all at the same time, none of them being able to give any other acceptable reasonings for any of it. What? Some mastermind who knew about all of them selected them, drugged and kidnapped all of them and not a single person realized it was happening? That was simply ridiculous, if you ask her.

Not to mention that the life she lead in the simulation was just... it was so clearly fake, so clearly something extreme to see what kind of person she was, to test how humans reacted to certain things, to see how hard they could push her.

They put her in a situation where she had to start a whole new life in a completely different place where nobody knew her, made her wonder if she'd ever be found by her past and right when things seemed to be falling apart, she found herself on this island? If any of it was real, there's no blackout moment as if she was left on a cliffhanger.

So she is simply ignoring everything that happened in the simulation and focuses on figuring out what kind of place they are all in, what the next steps would be. Because there would be next steps, she was certain of it. It will all make sense in the end.

WANTED PLOTS/PLOT IDEAS

Tba in a bit

[darcyxpalmer]

lokni hughes • character profile

happy birthday laura!!!🎂

[selinswonderland]

Selin knew that exploring the tower with Darcy probably wasn't going to end well. They had their differing opinions on this place and why they were here, and Darcy didn't seem like she had any interest in even humouring any other theories that differed from her own. But Tej's words of not knowing what she had been through stuck with her. Maybe she had to practice being patient again. With kids it was easy, they were growing and learning and didn't know any better. Adults, on the other hand, should know the impact of their words and actions and that made it more difficult.

But she was trying, because exploring this huge place alone was unsettling, and the thought of ending up alone in one of these rooms felt like she was asking to be killed off slasher film style. Especially in this operating room. the incredibly uncomfortable looking hospital bed with restraints it made her shudder. Though Darcy seemed eagerly fascinated by it.

Her statement of all of them being held in this tower, while a possibility, wasn't something Selin was going to touch on right now. That could have been the case, just not in the exact way Darcy might have been imagining it. But Selin held her tongue on trying to suggest an alternative, knowing it would go in one ear and out the other, so instead she focused on the second part of her exclamation. "I wonder if giving us a way in was on purpose or not." She commented, looking around the room, pulling open drawers in the desk in hopes of finding anything of note left behind.

"All the entrances so far have been from underground. Do you think the hornets digging up that grave and revealing the tunnel was intentional? Or maybe it was an accident and they didn't anticipate anyone being bold enough to explore the tunnels and find their way here."

[darcyxpalmer]

Selin proposed a question Darcy has been trying to figure out since she stepped inside this place - no, even before that, really. When that grave was dug out and they realized there was a tunnel under it. Cause there were arguments for both sides. "I think it mostly depends on what we find here - if we stumble upon like, a big pile of documents that strangely explain everything, that's most likely just a setup. If we don't find much, it's less clear. But it could go either way. Really, what makes no sense to me that the entrance to the tunnel is a mass grave? How does that make any sense, you know."

There had to be other entrances to these tunnels that they haven't found yet, Darcy just could not imagine that the only two entrance would be through a grave and then most likely through the Tower (cause there had to be an entrance somewhere from that side too, even if none of them found it yet).

"But honestly, I am leaning more towards all of it being intentional," she said as she kept looking around, trying to soak everything in, not registering the weirdness and the vibes of the room at all. Her excitement was simply too strong for it. "Maybe it was a test to see how far we're willing to go, if anyone dares to enter the tunnels when the grave is above it. And if it wasn't intentional, if it was just the malfunction of the hornets, why not immediately send something else to cover the grave up? Before anyone can find the tunnels - in that case, we would have only registered the mass grave and nobody would have thought to just dig the grave out again. There would have been no reason for it." She looked over at Selin. "Which one are you leaning more towards?"

As she looked around, another thought crossed her mind - those people, all who were gone and buried above them, might have started out here too, just like they did. "Do you think we could find any kind of information about them here? Figure out who they were? What truly happened with them?"

[zaidshair]

"Teleport between different shadows..." Zaid repeated, trying to wrap his mind around this idea. "So...as you step into a shadow, you're already stepping out of another one, somewhere else? But that'd mean you need to know where you're teleporting too. You can't do it blindly - what if there's no second shadow to teleport out of, would you get...stuck?"

The idea was slightly unnerving, but at least it was just Darcy who'd be affected. "Don't fancy the idea of finding bits and bobs of you here and there, just wriggling about waiting to be reassembled, love."

Zaid peered up into the sky, checking the sun. "I suppose we could come back here after sunset. See how much fun you can have then, yeah?"

Then it was his turn. Despite their earlier row, he actually felt okay putting on this performance for Darcy's curiousity. And she was so curious; she wouldn't listen to his warnings, or rather she had little fear about it. She'd been one of the first to see what he could do, so Zaid knew Darcy wouldn't underestimate.

"Maybe we should have Adarsh on-hand during practice bouts, in case I injure you. His powers are healing, if you can imagine. Man like that, being able to heal others?" Zaid snorted. "Couldn't have gone to someone with a kind, sweet temperament, could it?"

But Zaid was just bitching to take up time, as he remained in the sun, feeling increasingly nauseated. Darcy feeling him for fever, of all things, like a concerned family member. "My...my eyes don't hurt. Everything just goes...colourless, but I can still see. I can see you - Darcy - you're too close! Get away!"

Zaid batted at her (foolishly; he shouldn't touch her!) and stumbled towards the water when it felt like he couldn't hold it in any longer. Why was he even trying to hold it in? Just release - only the last time he did that, he nearly killed a man. Something he couldn't tell Darcy.

And maybe roping Adarsh into this project wasn't a good idea either, considering Adarsh had to save that man's life.

Zaid exploded in the water, steam hissing and the hot-white expunging causing a brief circle of dryness around Zaid, as if the sea parted around him. It only lasted a second or two, before water filled around him. He didn't seem to be bothered by the boiling water, just increasingly more and more relieved as he purged himself.

Eventually, hesitantly, Zaid turned to face Darcy. "Are...you okay, love? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

[darcyxpalmer]

"Yeah, basically. Not fully sure how it works from the outside, but I imagine it's like stepping through a door, just one part of it is here and the other is wherever I go." It didn't feel like stepping through a door, but how it felt and how it must have looked from the outside was completely different.

Darcy's stomach dropped for a moment, thinking of limbs severed and the pain that shot through her and Calamity the one time she attempted to take somebody with herself, but she pushed the memory away. It didn't happen, thanks to Calamity. "Yeah, definitely don't want to leave limbs behind. Nor any small part of myself.

"And yeah, I kind of have to know where I am going, but if there is no shadow to step to, I just-- I can't do it. When I wanna do it, I feel the shadow and I feel it calling me. So I know there is a destination. The hard part is discerning if it's the same destination I want to go to or someplace else. And the stronger and darker the shadow, the easier it is to tell the differences."

It was interesting, how mere moments ago they were yelling at each other, ready to bite off each other's head and now Zaid was the one suggesting they come back here at night to see Darcy's powers. It was the kind of attitude Darcy appreciated and filed away - no matter what happens, when they are talking about getting things done on the island, Zaid would be willing to do it and work with Darcy. Which meant more than being besties at all times.

Zaid came into focus then, his power building and building in the sun and Darcy wished she had a notebook with her to take down every little detail, everything Zaid said, all the changes she witnessed - then again, she doubted there would be anything she'd forget anytime soon. "Adarsh isn't too bad - and maybe the healing will give him a chance to bond more with others. But having him around when we do practices with you is a good idea. His power is one of those that you don't really want him to have the chance to be able to practice, the less we all get injured the better, but yeah, it would be a good precaution."

As much as she promised she'd get away in time, when Zaid told her to get away, Darcy was reluctant - maybe she could see something that could turn it all back that could help Zaid not blow up if he didn't want to. Or maybe there was a sign that would be extremely important to unlock some other part of his powers!

But if she got blown to pieces, she wouldn't be able to figure anything out, so after a split second hesitation, she quickly stepped back while Zaid stumbled over to the water. But she remained as close as she felt comfortable to be able to watch it all happen. The first time she experienced it all, she was caught unaware and she couldn't really take any of it in, there was no way she would make the same mistake twice!

And maybe it was weird, but Darcy thought it just looked beautiful, as the light overcame Zaid and the explosion happened in the water, only a push of force with some specks of water reaching Darcy this time. Maybe not something she should share with Zaid. She waited one, two, three seconds to give Zaid a chance to catch his breath and then she rushed in, already by his side when he asked if she was okay. "No, no, you didn't hurt me, don't worry, that was-- how are you feeling?" Once again she was touching his forehead, feeling his skin, his heat, noting the water being extremely hot around her calves as the waves lapped.

"How are you feeling? Relief, I am assuming. But what else? Did it hurt? Are you hurt? Are you feeling energized? Do you feel like you could build up to it again if you had to? Even the smallest of things could matter."

[chancedarling]

"I mean, yeah... I guess..."

Absolutely not. Even though he's sure that the secret he recieved was not about him - in that he doesn't lie about 'everything' - he lies about enough. Fuck these people. His life isn't for them to peruse.

"...I haven't heard anything so far that might sound like it's about me. And what would be gained by hiding stuff. I don't think there's anything that I would need to keep secret that badly. Like, sure I've done some embarassing stuff... But I doubt that would bother people here. So - yeah - I'd be okay about admitting it."

LOL. Liar liar pants on fire.

He does, however take the chance to look between the little strip of paper between Darcy's slender fingers and back to her face. Those puppy-eyes quite evident blinking in wide-eyed innocence before asking very, very quietly...

"Wouldn't you?"

Oh, the implication was clear from the moment the words left Darcy's mouth. That perhaps she might not be so open and honest about her secret. Whether it be this one or something else. Which also implied that the little astronaut here might really have something worth hiding. Ditzy Darcy really did just get more interesting by the minute.

But then Darcy is pulled back by his question 'why'? Of course, he doesn't correct her or let her know that - yeah - he's already worked it out, he just lets her continue until the end, spelling out his own suspicions with her words. At least, that one thing they can agree on, the sowing of discord among the ragtag populace. Just a few little pieces of paper and everyone was squinting, judging and suspicious. It really hadn't been hard to do at all - well played Flowr. One hand raises to his mouth as though to cover a mild shock about Darcy's revelation. That the idea would never have occured - though she does add a tidbit to the theory that hadn't occured to Chance yet - mix in the mundane secrets with the spicy ones. Validate a few and the rest had to be real, right? Nice work, little astronaut.

But then she laughs, as though she's brushing it off. As though the problem of secrets is hers and her's alone to solve. Spitballing about names of people who she might rule out. And he listens as she runs through them obviously dismissing each ons of her theories... it's not like couples didn't have secrets from each other - or siblings for that matter (not Chance and Cala though. One of the things that kept them strong and solid was the shared joy in each others - darker - delights). She finally mentions Lokni, and Chance just pulls a slight face.

"I dunno. The only time we talked, he was outside of Selin's hut when I showed up. Seemed to get real mad at me for just being there and then left without even knocking. Seemed a bit... Uh.... Weird."

Which - for a change, was actually the absolute truth. Of course, Chance had rather enjoyed the attempt at posturing, rather taking advantage of Lokni's clear defensiveness over the whole situation. That had been a fun little interlude.

And while he's not outwardly accusing him of anything, Chance does like to sow those little seeds of doubt here and there. And now seemed like the perfect opportunity.

However, when Darcy asks what he thinks, Chance decides it's time for curveball number two-o.

He doesn't waste his time procrastinating over who might be the owner of said secret.

"What if... Some of the secrets... aren't secrets at all?"

"I mean, like you said, if some of them turn out to be true, then people will assume they all are. So... Maybe some people had secrets shared that they wouldn't mind admitting to... To... Y'know... Validate or something. And the rest are just bits of paper with awful things written on them - but they don't actually belong to anyone?"

"What if people aren't owning up to a secret because... Well... There isn't one about them. And the... uh... meaner ones are just there to throw more shade and rile folks up, get them all suspicious over nothing? Like... We can't prove or disprove that they are ALL real... Y'know?"

[darcyxpalmer]

Chance's reaction was a nice reminder for Darcy that most people don't walk around with secrets that would cause more than a mild embarrassment or the blowing up of a relationship, maybe. Maybe some meanness that reveals the true intentions and feelings of a person, but not something that would require more than apologies. That would result in more than judgement from some of the people here.

That, or Chance has the biggest secret of them all and is just extremely good at hiding it, a little voice in the back of Darcy's head says, reminding her of the secret Selin got. But no, that couldn't be it. There was just no way Chance was somebody who was capable of murder without remorse. Not to mention, if he was that kind of person, he never would have actually helped her when they were at the Tower. He would have just watched as she became one with the ground. It was nothing more than Darcy's paranoia talking.

Good job to whoever placed these secrets with everyone, really. Did its job perfectly.

The quietness of Chance's words, that innocent, curious, almost careful expression he gave her as he asked if she wouldn't admit to things made Darcy's heart clench for a moment. "I mean, if it's just something embarrassing from kindergarten, then sure, I would without hesitation. But there are mistakes I am not too proud of that I wouldn't necessarily want people to judge me based upon." She flittered the little piece of paper in her hand, "Nothing like this, of course, just stupid stuff from my youth."

A glance down at the paper again before she looked at Chance. "But I'd also rather admit to mine than make it seem like some of the shittier ones might be about me. A little embarrassment from the past is much better than being considered a habitual liar or something." Which she wasn't. She absolutely was not. Nope.

She frowned at Chance's words about Lokni, "Wait, really? I am sure it wasn't anything bad, he's never been anything but cordial and kind and thoughtful with me, and others only really speak nicely of him too." Maybe she was a bit biased about Lokni - Darcy liked him and he was one of the few she fully, without any hesitation, trusted. "Maybe he was just having a bad day or something."

A momentary distraction from what they were talking about, but then Chance circled back to the secrets and suggested something she hasn't even considered - and that gave Darcy a pause. "That-- that would be fucked up," she couldn't help the visceral reaction even though she desperately wanted that to be true, wanted to jump on the theory and convince both of them, convince everyone, that it was the truth.

"It would be pretty convienient and I guess that would make our lives easier - despite the distrust, in the longrun it would mean we don't actually have to worry about people hiding in plain sight, lying to our faces." But the murderer one. That wasn't something they could truly just let go. Darcy, however, promised Selin not to tell anyone about that, and she was keeping that secret. The less people knew about that little piece of paper, the less chance it had of getting into the wrong ears.

"But it also feels like we're taking the easy way out," she ended up saying, part of her afraid she was talking against herself, but if she didn't see what Chance got, wouldn't she be saying that still? "Like we're trying to convince ourselves of the best solution and shoving our heads in the sand in the process? I know it might just feed into the paranoia and distrust, but what if we get just one wrong and then it turns into something-- something horribly bad?"

[darcyxpalmer]

what is your super power? shapeshifting

[zaidshair]

Wow. Zaid had to admit, he was impressed. He expected Darcy to devolve into a pout or a tantrum when he tried to shut it all down. Her feelings weren't acknowledged, or maybe she needed to be right for once in her dreary little life. Even just tell him to piss off, and walk away from it all, decide he was a miserable little wanker who wasn't worth her time.

Darcy did none of that, none! She too, took a step back, took a deep breath or two, her gaze strong, intent and...calm. For a brief moment, Zaid found Darcy incredibly irresistible and attractive (she was a handsome woman already, but now he felt attracted to her too), and he almost smiled, despite the situation. Zaid held it in, though, just watched her carefully, and admired her silently.

She kept her cool, she dialed it down, and she carried on just as he'd suggested they do. Did Darcy realize how rare this quality was? Zaid knew. In a heated arena like a fine dining restaurant kitchen, he knew that pressure could make people crumble or explode. Darcy did neither.

Instead, she marched towards the shady area to show her powers. Zaid followed, instantly curious. That Alka Selzer relief of not having to argue or defend himself about family, made him triple-enthused for seeing what Darcy could do. He watched her standing there, then eventually...drift into nothing. Like her body stepped forward, but didn't just become shadowed. It...disappeared.

Darcy called out a tease, and Zaid barked a loud laugh of astonishment. "You can talk from...where ever you are? What's it like? What do you see when you're, erm, inside the shadows??"

She slid back into visibility, smooth as honey and Zaid couldn't help but offer applause. "You've got brilliant control, love. What else would you need to practice?"

As for himself, he perched on a rock, to do a self-check. He was feeling...nauseated, a bit swirly on the inside. "I'd, erm...exploded a little before we'd met up to do this. And honestly, sometimes it feels like I'm a battery what needs to recharge, after it's all expended. But I'm not sure what charges me up. Just...living and walking about. More when I'm outdoors, though." He squinted at Darcy under the sunlight.

"Last time it built up quick, I was sitting outside on a rock, in the sun. Sort of like this. Shall we try it again? Fair warning though - if I tell you to run, you must obey, alright? Don't come near me."

Just like that. So easy for the both of them to get over themselves, and move forward. Zaid was going to remember this, about Darcy.

[darcyxpalmer]

Darcy stepped back to the same place she started from and headed back to Zaid, frowning for a second at his question. Did he think that she went-- right into the shadow? "Oh, no, no, it's not-- I just went further into the trees and you couldn't see me cause of that, I wasn't actually in the shadow. Even though that would be pretty cool.

"Basically I just teleport between different kinds of shadows. The stronger and darker the shadow, the easier I can step between them. During night is the easiest and I have the most control, but I am getting better and better during the day, too. Still, there's a difference. And it's what I want to practice, too. Get as good as possible with as little shadow as possible. And taking people with me, that's the other one."

Part of her wasn't going to stop thinking about stepping into the shadow itself somehow, too. Could she do it? If she got her control up, could she try without splitting herself in half?

Darcy tabled the thought. For now.

He blew up a little earlier, Zaid said, but still, they were certainly pushing the kind of buttons that would have resulted in Zaid blowing up a couple of months ago. She got him to blow up for much less, so he was making progress, even if he wasn't noticing it himself. "Yeah, if you're okay with that, let's see how long it takes for you to charge up," she eagerly agreed, but despite him telling her not to get closer to him, she did exactly just that, crouching down in front of him to look him up and down.

"I'm going to get away, just tell me a few seconds before it's happening, okay? A little test to see just how you can understand it all inside of you," she teased him, her eyes not leaving him. "But I want to see what it does to you from close. Get some signs that maybe if we pass around, others can notice and you can feel safer in the sun and such." And she was just curious, okay? She really just wanted to know how his powers worked, what kind of effects it had on him.

"How are you feeling? Is it a little bit different every time? Or does it more or less feel the same?" she asked while his expression started to get a bit redder, his skin just seeming paler, asher, sicker, really.

"May I?" she asked, indicating towards him. He said he was charging up, so she placed the back of her hand against his forehead - he was definitely heating up, but that could have been the sun in general. After she held his wrist a bit, finding his pulse and finding it speeding up. "Feeling sick already?"

It was partly just luck that she noticed - she looked up at his face just when he blinked and Darcy stopped in her tracks for a second. His eyes were almost completely white at this point, but she's already noticed that the last time he blew up, but it wasn't just that. "Close your eyes for me, please," she said, voice urgent, and then she couldn't help the excited grin on her face (completely forgetting that he was getting closer and closer to a release). "Shining eyes take a whole new meaning with you, Zaid. Even through your eyelids, the shine is visible, that's fascinating. Can you feel anything different with your eyes? Does it hurt? Can you see better? Or worse, actually?"

[mc-adarsh]

He smiled. It wasn’t judgy exactly when Darcy said it, but he found that: yes, he would do that. He wanted to figure out his own limitations as well. Was he good at this? Could he save people from the brink of death? Probably a good idea to not tell Darcy about Florida man. “I’ll do that,” he said. “If you promise me you’ll try not to get hurt. Nothing bad at least.”

Once again her conviction and confidence convinced him. Though it was also his belief, there had to be an end goal in mind. He just feared it would get worse and worse before they even got here. Perhaps people had to be taken out, had to be eliminated, like they already had been. He was planning on making it through as far as possible, to the very end. So he could find out if his amnesia was his own fault or that of some scientist. If he’d agreed to this, or if this had been done to him. “There has to be,” he agreed. “Would be nice if we can clear this level quickly.” 

He nodded in agreement. She did have a basis for it, and she could be bossy all she wanted within the scope of her knowledge, but he wasn’t going to like it. Okay, maybe he did like it a bit, but he’d never admit that. The raised eyebrow was met with a slight grin. “I don’t like most people,” he said. “I can count the people I do like on a single hand.” And even among those he had some doubts. “I respect her… I think.” Or at least her knowledge. Maybe not her as a person… no, he definitely respected her. They barely differed ten years, yet Adarsh could not help thinking of Akhila as an auntie. 

“For my reputation,” he corrected himself. It was for himself, of course he healed people and it would be nice for them too, but they all were a means to an end. 

He frowned, then bit his bottom lip when she asked him not to get pissed off - see this was how people saw him. This was why it was so hard. This was why he needed his healing ability. Of course it wouldn’t magically change his personality, but it gave him a way to prove himself useful. It might even help people to look beyond it. 

“No, because I like you,” he noted. But of course he understood what she was trying to say, maybe it did piss him off a little. However, since it was coming from Darcy, he kept himself from sneering. “I am… trying. And you’re right, I don’t like it. Also I have never punched anyone right out of the gate,” he corrected. He had yelled at people, so he couldn’t deny that.

He swallowed. “And then there is the fact that people already have an opinion. I want to change it, but when they express it, that’s when I get angry.” And most of them were also idiots. 

“You’re the first one I’ve told,” he admitted. “I haven’t really found the need to speak about these secrets to anyone. Mine is probably about my past as well, and I don’t think I’d even recognise it’s about me. Unless it says I punched a lot of people, that I can believe.” He gritted his teeth. “What’s yours?” 

[darcyxpalmer]

Darcy gave a small smile. "That I can definitely promise. As sure as I am that this wasn't it, I also don't want to get hurt." She thought about the scar on the side of her torso and just how long it took for that to heal. It was something more serious that happened before this place, but if something like that happened to anyone here... But no, there were no guns here. They'd fall and break limbs, they's get stabbed by giant hornet stings, they'd get infections, but gunshot wounds at least weren't stuff they had to be worried about.

A small chuckle. "We were in the simulation for... actually, we don't even know how long it really took. Just because we experienced lifetimes, doesn't mean that was actually how long we were in there, it could have been nothing more than a week that passed out here. But still, as far as we know, we spent decades in there, I doubt this part will be quick."

Darcy tilted her head - okay, so it wasn't that surprising that Adarsh didn't like most people. "Guess I am not surprised by that. Most of them here aren't too bad, though, maybe give some of them another chance? Not that you must, but not liking most people here must be making things a lot harder." She fully just assumed she was among the very few he actually liked, didn't even cross her mind that it could be any other way - if he didn't like her, they would not be having this conversation.

And he confirmed that with his own words. "Sorry, no punching starting off, just yelling, but still. And again, I know it's hard. You can't really do much about people expressing their opinions that you created. If you get angry when they express it, things will just get worse. But maybe if you consider it to be something like the healing - you do that for your reputation. You could try to hold it all back for the same reason." Maybe trying to help Adarsh play fake nice with the others wasn't the best thing to do, but maybe if he managed to find a voice with a couple of other people, it would be easier for him, and those he found a better rapport with as well.

She looked over at Adarsh and reached over, placing a hand onto his arm. "Hey, I am pretty sure it's not about the punching. In fact, you're probably right in that you wouldn't even be able to tell if it was about you. I doubt there is anything about anyone on those little secrets that anyone else would already know in this place." What was hers about. "It's about somebody having an affair. A spicy one, cause it was at work."

[akhilaasthana]

Akhila slumped back into the sofa. Her smile tight lipped and interrupted with sharp breaths. It had been a terrible idea, but god did it taste so good. There was no need for sweet pleasantries or telling Darcy she looked good even silhouetted in the lowlight, she knew it. Akhila had made that quite clear through seeking comfort between soft thighs. Fingers traced up and over her stomach, chest, and finding a small but not insignificant mark that reared questions that couldn’t be asked in the moment. Not with how hunger burned on Darcy’s lips and seared her too.

Instinctively, as they lay together on the sofa, she sought out that mark again. Her thumb rolled over the puckered scar tissue as the canter of her pulse finally quelled. Eventually despite the pleasant silence that hung between them, she said. Akhila withdrew her hand, and unfurled her legs to stand. Though it took a moment from being uncomfortably crunched on a sofa not meant to accommodate them both. “Do you mind if I smoke?” She finally moved to fetch the last remaining cigarette she’d fended off from some bratty American. Akhila brought with her water too, handing the cup first to Darcy to take a sip from. 

There was more to Darcy’s story, and whilst Akhila was not head over heels beguiled by the mystery, she was curious. The woman was resilient as others faltered. For that alone she had Akhila’s interest. It did rather help she had a lovely pair of pins. Akhila pushed aside hair that had slipped free from behind Darcy’s ear. Fingers dipped underneath Darcy’s chin, her face angled up just a touch towards her. “You are a remarkable woman Darcy.”

Akhila perched beside Darcy, then pushed herself back to lean against the wall. Distant, but with a tangle of limbs still pressed against each-other, she purposefully rested her foot to Darcy’s lithe leg. Banal small-talk didn't precisely warm the coals for more, and so she steered away from it. “This speed has some advantages.” Said with a small sly smile, Darcy had experienced one small benefit of it. “Unfortunately it has cons with it too. You said you can't quite control yours, but are there any drawbacks to it?”

[darcyxpalmer]

In the heat of the moment it was hard to truly see just how badly all of this could end, but once they were both panting, catching their breaths, Darcy couldn't help but wonder if this would make living on the beach that much more complicated - and when Akhila's fingers gently found their way to her wound, that worry increased tenfold. She didn't consider herself an awkward person, but she was fully contemplating getting out of there as fast as possible with the flimsiest of excuse on her tongue. But Akhila didn't say a word, simply asked if she was okay with her smoking a cigarette.

"I gotta-- yeah, sure," she blinked, surprised for a second, but then quickly fixed her face and sat up, watching Akhila walk over to get that cigarette and then walk back, her eyes following as Akhila's curves moved.

There was a lurch in Darcy's stomach at Akhila's words, memories she wanted buried deep down with the same words resurfacing - this was absolutely not going to end the same way that day did. So she pushed the memory down and gave Akhila a small smile, "You've already gotten into my pants, Akhila, no need to sweet talk me anymore," she teased the other before adding, her voice much more earnest now, "Right back at you."

As Akhila settled down next to her, Darcy rested her hands on Akhila's leg, her finger gently running up and down the woman's calves in a quiet, comfortable manner. "Can I ask for a few drags?" she nodded towards the smoke. Getting back into the conversation about the powers fully settled her stomach about Akhila not bringing up the scar on her torso, and really, Darcy welcomed it. "The stronger sun makes my eyes water more and if I do it a lot, I get fatigued way too fast. Also, with no full grasp on directions, sometimes I can end up in places where I didn't intend to, which can be tricky. And if I fuck it up really badly, it can result in injury." Split limbs, blood everywhere. Certainly not going to be pushing to try taking anyone with her anytime soon. "What about yours?"

[chancedarling]

The two voices are instantly recognisable, and Chance smirks to himself. He knows that something disturbing happened between Darcy and dearest Cala - not the specific details, but to hear Cala gushing and contrite? It takes every ounch of his self-control not to snicker. In any other scenario she'd probably be telling Darcy to go fuck herself - but here, and now - Darcy was the key to opening their door (quite literally) and Cala is buttery smooth. Chance, for his part, takes a deep breath and gives himself a slight shake (being around Cala allowed him to let loose all manner of facade and be his whole and genuine self... Now he had to slip back under the veil... Annoying, yes, but he's used to it) before donning his brightest smile and stepping back into view.

"Ah! There's our little astronaut!"

A cheery greeting from his own lips as he saunters closer, his gait all noodle like and boneless. The carefree, chill of a man with no weight on his shoulders. Stepping up next to Cala, it was more than obvious that the Darlings were not biological siblings. Striking in their physical differences. But by luck or fate or... chance... They had been brought together and formed a bond - likely stronger than those made through blood - this was a bond of kindred spirit. Aligned souls.

"Any luck on your investigation into the secrets? Found out who was playing away from home yet? Or who the liar might be?"

It's a casual ask. Though with enthusiasm, as though Chance was invested in Darcy's detective work. But he's more interested in her reaction to the question than in any answer she might have forthcoming. And with not one but two sets of Darling eyes upon her, there would be very little place to hide...

"Oh... Wait, the door! Yeah, Cala found a door!"

He gives whole credit to his sister. After all, she's the one who persuaded Mr Chuckles to choose a path. She's also the one who managed to 'out' the voice as independent, rather than a simple echo. Though he doesn't mention their new 'friend' to Darcy just yet. Maybe Chuckles would be there on their return... Maybe it would be watching, waiting... Maybe it would decide to play another game... Wouldn't that be fun? He also doesn't mention that they'd somehow managed to tie the words on the tower to the tunnels to play their previous game... Given that Darcy had almost plunged to her doom from the tower, he doesn't want to dissuade her from this little adventure.

Can't have the key walking away now, can we?

"Some underground bunker type thing, I think. Weird glow coming from under the door."

"We can't get in. There's no handle or... Well. We can't get in and, well... It was just a thought - and you can totally say no if you don't feel up to it, of course... But maybe with your, uh... Shadow popping... You might be able to help us open it?"

Help us.

Saying 'no' to someone asking for help was a dick move at the best of times. And Dear Darcy. Helpful Darcy. Darcy who was definitely NOT lying about EVERYTHING (ehum)... Might just have a point to prove? A sappy puppy-eyed, pleading look then (one Cala would be overly familiar with as he'd used it on their parents on many occasions).

"Will you? Help us?"

@calamitydarling

[calamitydarling]

Was Darcy honestly serious? First an assurance that Cala did nothing wrong (she did; even she knew she did). Then apologies for hurting Calamity! This woman was unbelievable, and Cala could immediately understand why Chance was so taken by her. To have her weird shadow-teleporting powers whilst also being so...willing.

If Darcy could just coo, she'd make the perfect pigeon.

"Wow, well. Aren't you sweet?" Calamity's laugh was rushed, gurgly, as she gave Darcy's arm a squeeze. A quick motion; she was terrified of touching the other woman. "All's well that ends well, yeah?"

And when Chance appeared, she exhaled in relief to have him there. The pair of them, both long and angled and wibbly-wobbly, siblings but not. And Darcy, beaming and apologetic. It couldn't be more perfect.

"Ooooh, right the secrets! What'd you get Darcy? I got something about plagiarism at work." She grinned at Chance, sidelong, then innocently added, "Chance's was verrrrry illicit. What about yours?"

She stood pertly as Chance so naturally and easily brought up the tunnel, the door, what Darcy was needed for. Chance had assured Calamity that Darcy would be more curious than cautious, but just in case, Calamity soberly added, "I suppose if you wanted to make it up to me, I think your help would really help."

She split from her brother like an atom, bounding towards the forest and pointing down towards a slightly swampy looking area. "The cave's just down there! Takes about 5, 10 minutes of cave-trekking to reach the doorway, easy-peasy."

@darcyxpalmer

[darcyxpalmer]

Darcy was glad that Calamity and her could talk about what happened the last time, that there was no hard feelings between them. She enjoyed Calamity's company and she would have hated if things got tense or awkward between the two of them.

And then Chance showed up and of course he had to bring up the secret note. Darcy shook her head at the question, "No luck yet. Can't really start going around the island asking everyone if they are lying about their entire life. Nobody would actually be admitting to that. And based on your question, you are not closer to figuring out who it could belong to, either, right?" She might have been paranoid about Chance reading more into her reactions, but she would have been paranoid about that with anyone involved, anyone telling her about that secret. And really, no reason for Chance to suspect she had anything to do with that.

"Plagirism? There's nobody who is openly an author or journalist or anything, so it must have been something very specific field related thing, right?" she asked Calamity, adding it to the list of secrets she collected from people. "Oh, mine is about an affair at the work place, though I haven't figured out who it belongs to either." Gave a cheeky grin to the two siblings, "Neither of you were having any spicy time at work, have you?" Not that she actually thought either of them were the subject of her own secret, neither of them really seemed like the type of person who would actually consider it something that needed to be kept a secret, something that would be considered shameful, especially on this place.

The topic shifted, the two of them telling her about the door they found and then quite literally turning into puppies with their eyes as they laid out just why they wanted Darcy's help. It was amusing, really, as they tried listing all kinds of reasons as if she had to be convinced. As if she'd say no if they didn't look at her with those pleading eyes, as if they didn't ask nice enough. Calamity even brought up Darcy saying earlier that she wanted to make the splitting in half thing up to her.

She tried to keep her face expressionless just to see just how long the two would continue with their reasons, tried to not give her amusement and excitement away right away, but eventually she couldn't help the chuckle bursting out of her. "What would you guys even do if I actually said no after all of that?" Would definitely be an asshole move, but still.

"Of course I'm going to help! I want to get through any door, and if it leads to any kind of information, I want to know!" Part of her wondered just where they'd arrive to once the door was open, what kind of revelations it would bring and she just felt excited, eager to get going. "Let's go, show me the way. What kind of door did you guys find? Chance, you said something about some light coming through under the door, right? Are you guys sure there is shadow behind the door I could jump to? Anything you guys heard from behind it? Any other graffiti maybe, like on top of the Tower I saw?"

@chancedarling

[crystalslucky]

Status: closed for @darcyxpalmer Location: The Tower

"Ohhh, Miss Mastermind!" Crystal cooed in excitement once she laid eyes on Darcy wandering around the tower. She knew that Darcy claimed that she didn't have anything to do with this place and it was highly likely that was true, but Crystal still thought it would be fun to believe that was Darcy's dirty little secret. The person in charge of whatever trial or simulations she believes they're dealing with being right under their noses all along.

Making her way over to her like an excited school girl who hadn't seen her bestie in months, she placed her hands on Darcy's shoulders, eager to hear what nonsensical ravings she would have about this place. "You found your way here too! Though I guess you knew the way here all along, huh?" She gave a playful wink, playing up this Darcy knows all belief. "But this is wild, to know a place like this has been here this whole time and we had no clue! What are you thinking right now? What's the next clue where does this all lead?" Crystal asked rapid fire, despite not having much thought or concern of her own in regards to this place.

It was definitely creepy and a change of scenery, but besides that she had no capacity for theorizing. Darcy, on the other hand, already felt like she knew exactly what was going on around here at any given time. That level of delusion was admirable and also hilarious. So whatever she had to say about this tower right out of a sci-fi movie, she was ready to play along with the hype.

[darcyxpalmer]

Getting into the Tower felt like finally something paid off, finally they were getting some answers. Even if they didn't find anyone inside who could actually answer questions and shed some light onto so many things, but it was unavoidable proof that people were here, that things have been set up for them to find it and collect puzzle pieces, slowly putting it all together.

Of course Darcy was going to be in here, looking at everything, trying to find as many answers as possible.

She wasn't that surprised to find Crystal in here either, though she couldn't help at the name, Mastermind. The little jokes that teased her that she was behind it all. She would absolutely not be this feral about finding out everything if she was involved in all of this. "No mastermind, but yeah, couldn't not come in here when this is a goldmine of information, if we look for it hard enough." They'd obviously not just leave out journals explaining everything. They'd have to work for it all.

Darcy sort of knew this was here - well, not knew knew, but knew -, but she wasn't going to point that out to Crystal, that would just feed the whole mastermind theory. "Yeah, it is incredible. Chance and I tried getting in here not too long after we arrived here, but wouldn't have thought it would have an underground part, that it would be this elaborate." What did all of this mean? "Well, gotta look around more to have a better sense of it, to actually find those clues. But I am pretty sure part of the island is set up to run from here. Maybe there were even people operating things at the beginning, coming in and leaving through the tunnels before the tunnels opened up for us. They probably cleaned out the most important and most obvious answers, but we'll find some clues for sure. There's no way they could have sweeped the entire place of everything."

She tilted her head as she looked at Crystal. "What do you think about all of this? How do you feel about this?" A pause and then another question, "I haven't looked in there yet," she nodded towards a door on the first floor that had a small glow coming through from under it, "wanna check it out together?"

[chancedarling]

Chance just shrugs as Darcy mentions a little 'mystery'. -- Mystery-Scourge-Calamity --

Then she goes on to probe a little about what may be written about Chance.

"I'm an open book. I'm sure whoever got a secret about me will be sorely disappointed. I mean, it's not like I'm a saint or anything, but I don't think a few pranks are going to hit the big time on the ticker-tape radar. If someone wants to know something about me, all they have to do is ask, y'know?"

"Nah, I dunno. No clue what it is or who got it."

Oh, but he hopes it's a meaty one. Something to cause a knot in their stomach. Something to dredge a pit of dread into their core. Something to prey on the mind and give sleepless nights... That would be fun. And even though the paper he handed Darcy would certainly be applicable to him - he doubts that it's about him. What would be the point of handing him his own secret - he knows all of those. Plus, it wouldn't be entirely accurate. He's not lying about everything. Most of what he's said is the truth... If only in part. So it'd be really dissappoining if these little snippets of revelation were imprecise or erroneous. Or just plain bullshit.

He's just waiting. Watching... As Darcy takes the paper and studies it. Actually - studies it. Not just a glance or a quick read. Fifteen words. Fifteen words didn't need that amount of focus or mental absorption. She's not studying the paper (if she had been, she'd have turned it over at least once in her hands, and she doesn't), just keeps staring at those fifteen words.

There's an itch in his teeth. A burgeoning suspicion. Nothing concrete yet... But it's only fifteen fucking words.

And when she finally manages to drag her eyes away from the paper, all of that enthusiasm about secrets and mysteries seems to have fizzled out like a firework in a thunderstorm.

Definitely an itch. She speaks and there's even hesitation there. Not the usual hundred mile an hour string of crackpot theories. This secret has her... Confused? No maybe that's not quite the word for it. But something about those fifteen little words seem to have sent the little astronaut spinning into space.

"I think it means what it says. Lying about everything."

She asks if he has any idea who it could be about.

"Nope."

Yes. Well, maybe now he has a hint. Maybe...

Again, he honestly gave a flying fuck who it was about. If it was about Darcy, it might at least make her a little more interesting. He wonders how good a liar she might be. Whether those big does eyes and skittish brain were just another mask - a cultivated charade (not unlike his own - he'd be eminently impressed if it was)... Is that something that ditzy Darcy was capable of? If it was, then what's the motivation? What's the end goal? What's the root of those lies... Is it calculated or compulsive? Deliberate or delusional?

Is she capable?

Next observation... Set the scene - observe the reaction.

"I dunno, Darcy. We might be missing the point here. Whatever these things are - why the hell were they sent? What's the purpose? Do the 'flowpowr' entities just want to piss people off and stir up shit? Seems like everyone is running around, wondering about what secret belongs to who and being morally offended by anything that doesn't conform to their world view and getting mad about it... "

He's giving her an out - something not about the secret itself, but rather a joyous little conspiracy theory that should trigger her simulation brain... He wants to see how fast she grabs onto that lifeline... How quickly does she want to move away from the content of the secret which was 'oh, so important' only moments ago.

Turn the tide. Focus back on the secret again. Which way will she turn? Which directions will she take. Quick and easy conspiracy. Or delve deeper into those fifteen words.

"...But, I suppose... With a secret like that, at some point the secret itself becomes irrelevant. The fact that you kept it does not."

"Any thoughts on whose secret it might be?"

[darcyxpalmer]

Darcy tilted her head, watching Chance curiously for a few moments. "So what you're saying is that if it is a secret about you that you'd actually not want getting out - not saying that there is such a thing, but if there is one -, and yet it's on one of these little pieces of tape and the person who got it flat out asks if it's about you, you'd be totally okay about just admitting it's about you?"

Maybe the little bit of disbelief in her voice said more about Darcy than it did about anything else, really - cause she certainly wouldn't admit to a lot of things in her past, even if it was just in a simulation, while not every single person's immediate reaction would be to deny a secret. But the question was out there already, no taking it back, and really, people weren't openly coming forward left and right about what their secret was, so other people were thinking along the same line as she did to some degree at least.

And once she saw the tiny piece of tape that Chance got, her stomach dropped, annoyed at herself for insinuating that she'd lie about her own secret if it came down to it. Cause this little piece of paper in her hand... if it was about her, there was no way she would admit to it.

This was one of the worst ones, somewhere close below the one about murdering people. Then again, it could be about other people, too? It didn't have her name plastered onto it - and that was the fucking point.

Chance's words about missing the point was what shook her out of the spiral she was slowly going down and she reacted instinctively, without even really thinking about it as she looked up to him finally, "Oh, you haven't figured that one out yet? It's exactly that - to turn us against each other. To sow distrust. That's why there are different levels of secrets. Cause it's that much more easier to admit to an affair that doesn't even affect people around here or to something smaller and more embarrassing than anything. And once there's that confirmation that all the secrets are real, everyone else starts looking at each other about the shitty ones. About the ones that contain secrets where you don't want to be on the same beach with the person it's about."

Her mind was spinning, really - maybe she really shouldn't have spelled it out like that. Something she's been thinking about since she realized she wasn't the only one who got a piece of tape and especially since Selin told her what her tape said. About somebody being a murderer among them. Cause really, who cared about a little affair when a killer walked among them. But then again, if she didn't start theorizing, if she didn't solve something so clear and simple while she was holding that fucking piece of paper Chance gave her, wouldn't that make her more suspicious. Whether it was about her or not, if she just tried to bury it, he'd immediately suspect her, right.

Which also meant, after a small glance down at the tape in her hands, she glanced back at Chance, raising it up. "This is one of those people would absolutely not want to admit to and others wouldn't want to be on the same beach with. Somebody sees this and suddenly, it's that much easier to admit to an affair at work, right?"

And the big question, really - who it could be about. "God, all of these secrets really just make me feel like I am the worst at getting to know people cause I keep having no clue," Darcy chuckled, scratching her forehead. "Like, I figured out this entire beach, I should be able to figure some of them out at least, right? But nope. I have no clue and I feel bad for my first thought wondering if it's Adarsh cause the amnesia would be a really easy lie to hide basically anything." Okay, not first thought, but that she would keep to herself.

"I think it would be easier to say who I would rule out - you, for one. Nobody would actually get their own secret and if you did and this was yours, you just wouldn't show it around. Calamity is also out - there's no way to keep lying about literally everything when you have a sibling on the island and your stories would have to match. Too many chances for slipping up. Based on the same logic, probably Tej and Zaid are also out. Alex we all know really was a tv show host, so we know for a fact he is not lying about everything. And Akhila has to have an actual medical degree, otherwise somebody would have already lost a limb and we'd be in much worse of a case, so she cannot be lying about everything either. But the rest... well, most of them I'd still say that I cannot possibly imagine them either, like can you imagine somebody like, say, Lokni, lying through his teeth? Cause I really can't, but then we're back to square one on who it actually can be."

She overdid it, she suddenly got worried, but really, if she just didn't say anything, if she ignored totally logical things and didn't point them out, it would be a lot weirder. And it wasn't about her anyway, it was different. Her situation was different. (She tried to convince herself anyway.) "What do you think?"

[tejvirani]

He sat for a moment with Darcy's question. "I do have a couple of projects I'm planning, mhm." A reply inspired by his old self, always so many colorful plates spinning at once, as Tej preferred to work. Those last months in New York and the void an obsidian beach amplified the roar of grief for a long time.

Fingers with a few stray bits of spray paint dried on them pushed dark hair behind his ear. "One's personal. But the other, I dunno. It's like this place is telling me to build something. Giving me all the materials to do it too." After a sip of coffee, he shrugged. "What about Benji's art. What'd you think about it." No recollections yet or anecdotes of brother's wild, overflowing creativity. Maybe as protection, for herself.

Darcy explained she fell in with a bad crowd. "Dealers?" Gambling debts, could be anything really. Difficult to imagine what heinous crime Darcy committed that made Benji turn against her. (Never dreamed Zaid would run off with Inika either. Just because you loved someone didn't mean they wouldn't do something shitty in the end.) She stated her reasons for few details on the matter, so he nodded.

She didn't want the past to define her. "I mean, have you met people here? Skeletons just waiting to fall out of a couple of closets, don't you think?" followed with a dry laugh, a brief smile. Not that he'd judge, if anything he'd be eager for tea spilled. "You didn't give me much to say, you know." By her design. "That's alright. I got it." The simulation safe enough to discuss, but not Darcy's past. So be it. "No games, hm. So what would you compare it to."

"I'm glad we found out. Even if it was meant to fuck us up. Makes me feel better now, actually." Darcy sounded determined to share her off-brand Kool-Aid with everyone. He said nothing again until Darcy described someone. "Ah. Crystal. Yeah, I met her at the tidal pools too. Same thing with me, didn't seem like she was too bothered to be here. What's your take on it, why would someone real be acting like that. Without a care in the world?"

The half empty coffee mug was pushed to the side, to make room for Tej's folded hands. "I wouldn't fucking sign up for this." His turn for proclamations. His tone wasn't angry, in fact it barely had a pulse.

A fact, and yet his gaze drifted some place behind Darcy for a handful of seconds. Admittedly, to know Zaid wasn't real, those feelings weren't real... well. It'd be a relief. A dream. An injured wish Tej carried in the months he was walking scar tissue after the break-up. None of it real, and it was over.

In order to bury Zaid, he'd need a shallow grave for Inika too. He'd never do it. Could he? "Don't see how you can say we'd sign up for a thing like that," he went on with a small wobble of his head. "You are right about needing proof too." Fingers drummed on the table. "If this place is what you think it is, a simulation, how d'you ever think you can figure out 'goals', hm? Goals for... us, the next step, the step after this place, for what?"

[darcyxpalmer]

Darcy couldn't help the smile on her expression. "You know, it's kind of really nice to hear that you're actually thinking about creative projects. Most people wouldn't even want to go there even though we've already been here for over half a year. I hope you do them, it would bring some levity, something positive to this place. And we all need that."

She shook her head slightly. "I was never the kind of person who understood art. I appreciate it and I enjoy it, but don't expect much of a deep exploration or anything - but I always really enjoyed his art. Also always thought he was brave for pursuing it. Our parents - they never really looked at art as a real profession, kept trying to steer him away from it, telling him too few people actually make it from their own art, but nothing could propel him away. In fact, I think it just pushed him to work for it and want it even more, and I really loved that for him. I always loved seeing what he made."

"Something like that," she confirmed carefully. The funny thing was, she both knew and didn't fully know. She knew the buzzwords, she knew to some degree what Vivien got her into, she was definitely told. But she didn't know details - to the annoyance of a lot of people, unfortunately. She could put some puzzle pieces together after it all went down, enough that could be somewhat useful, but she never put it together in time and she's never fully seen or known anything.

Maybe that was why she wanted to know everything here. Even if it was all just in her head, what happened in the simulation, it dug its roots in her and now she wanted to know everything. No, needed to know everything. Hated being in the unknown to any degree, really.

All the skeletons just waiting to fall out of the closet - Darcy wasn't sure how she felt about that thought. Everyone had baggage, sure, she knew that, but still, that made it sound so much more ominous than what she liked. For a second she wondered just what kind of skeleton Tej would have in his own closet, but then pushed the thought aside. She doubted it would be something horrible, even if he had skeletons.

And then he pointed out that she didn't say much and he got it and that was supposed to be it, right? He didn't push, he didn't want to force it all out of her and it should somehow make her feel better - and yet it didn't. It made her trust Tej more, appreciate him and this connection more, for sure, but it didn't make her feel any better.

A bitter laugh, "I said more than I've said about it to... practically anyone, in the past five years, Tej." Well, except Diego, but Diego was different. He already knew it all and it certainly wasn't her who briefed him. And it was more of a necessity for him to know instead of anything else. "This," she gestured between us, "this was something I never thought could ever happen. I thought-- I wasn't allowed to talk about any of it, okay? I'd be putting anyone I told to in danger if I did. Plus myself too. I--"

Another butter laugh as she rubbed her face. "What the fuck am I even saying, none of it actually matters. It was all in a fucking simulation, none of it was actually real and still, I feel like-- like I'm just going to get you and myself killed if I tell you all of it. How fucked up is that?!" she couldn't help but groan. "I keep trying to forget all of it, keep trying to put it aside and then I just end up waking up from nightmares. Because of something that only fucking happened in my head."

A pause as she tried to take a deep breath, get her heart from beating out of her chest so hard. "God, I sound like even bigger of a lunatic than I possibly already did," she groaned, shaking her head.

Crystal. She could focus on her as a topic instead and not let herself get into a panic spiral that she felt was coming and coming hard. "Honestly? One of the easiest answer to that seems that she was in such a shitty position in the simulation before she got here that this place seems like a vacation in comparison. Not saying that's the case - maybe she just takes it much better than most people here, but it would be a logical option."

Tej said what everyone else did - he wouldn't sign up for something like this. Darcy just nodded. "Maybe not you - this version of you. But you don't know what the situation was like, out there. You don't remember it. Maybe you felt like you had to. Maybe they presented it to you in a way where it actually excited you. Or maybe you're right and you wouldn't have, and maybe there were people who didn't have a choice - or at least not a real one. But I do believe we all knew at least what was awaiting us. But I mostly assume it was voluntary cause I cannot see a situation where so many people could be forced into a situation like this without any repecussions for it to those who did it to us."

She shook her head. "This isn't a simulation anymore, we're in the real world. But I get the question - and maybe you're right that this wasn't designed for us to solve it, but I believe it is solvable. I'm mainly currently thinking a lot of answers are in the Tower, but what kind of answers those would be, we can only really see if we get in there. I'm not saying that there is a blueprint to every challenge that we'll still have to face, I doubt there is such a document or if there is, we would not be able to find it, but there must be clues that we can use for our advantage and as proof about what we're doing here."

[mc-adarsh]

And Darcy wasn’t wrong thinking he’d been direct and rude - and smug. He wouldn’t want to be healed by himself either if no explanation was offered up to begin with. But there was self-reflection, and then there was Adarsh’s tendency to think people thought the same way he did: meaning in his mind it had to be because he had already established himself as the violent on. “She was probably scared as well, with all the hornets around,” he suggested, the closets he would come to saying something in favour of the young woman. “I do, not necessarily on the wound however, I think it goes faster when I do, but I haven’t been able to test out that theory yet.” 

The worst was yet to come. For someone who believed this to be the real world, and had the cheesy notion of them all working together, her outlook on the future was much more grim. But it was the one thing Adarsh could fundamentally agree with. It would only get harder. And with so many powers in play, so many new people on the beach, it could only get more complicated. Of course they’d be tested for that. “If it’s a test… you’d think there would be an ending in sight. I do hope it all becomes a bit clearer the more challenges we overcome.” 

He raised an eyebrow. Saying shit about people wasn’t new to him, and he’d mouthed off a lot of people so far, he couldn’t even keep count. It felt almost normal. Who was he if he didn’t express his judgement of others? 

He wanted to say something rude, but caught himself. Character growth or something connected to the way he felt about Darcy. Almost as if he practiced more patience with her than he did with others. He hummed in response. “Hmm, you’re right. I stand by that she’s bossy, but in the beginning… she’d be much better at noting down what has and hasn’t been healed by my power.” He narrowed his eyes a little, perhaps in jest. “I suppose she’s someone you’ve gotten along with?”

Adarsh blushed, hard to see on his skin, but still present. “I–” He wanted to backtrack and explain, to push through what he was feeling and attempt to rectify it. He hated this feeling of disappointing her by shooting down her idea. He bit the inside of his mouth. “I think…” he couldn’t ignore the need to explain, yet at the same time the constant question of why he found all these conflicting emotions when in the company of Darcy. “... I struggle with the idea of doing this for other people, and not for myself.” Inherently selfish. And horribly stubborn. 

“Hmm, the hornets probably because they are insects who dig and hide within the ground. Clearly they were made to dig up what they dug up. A little push to help us along to get to the next challenge.” He paused. “Also definitely to scare the shit out of us.” Either by their very existence, or the mass grave they’d uncovered, leading to tunnels. Whatever was in those tunnels must be the next challenge. He wondered if they were being pushed into uncovering a mystery, or if they were simply pushed to discover the next challenge.

Adarsh’ heart felt a lot lighter at Darcy’s chuckle. He swallowed at the sudden feeling, trying to determine why. Why? Someone in his former life reminded him of Darcy, but he couldn’t remember that person, just the feeling he had around them. He decided to focus on the question, to be the main character in this conversation, even if it meant uncovering feelings that weren’t all too great. “I punched two people within the first few days that I got here, I get frustrated without knowing why… I think I’m more of a loose canon than anything close to helpful, also I don’t feel the need to help. Not most people at least. Now that I can heal… it’s much easier to throw myself into the narrative and push myself to playing some kind of hero. It feels good, it doesn’t feel as frustrating as finding out time and time again that I’m too selfish to be bothered to help other people.” 

He produced the slip of paper and read it out loud to Darcy. “HERE IS A SECRET: Safety and camaraderie is everything to me! Except for that time that I kept quiet when I should've been spotting, resulting in the forced retirement of an illuminary after he'd broken his back. Who am I?” He frowned at the paper. “I don’t know what an illuminary is.”

[darcyxpalmer]

"Can't really blame her for it, those hornets were terrifying." It was the kind of catch-22 effect on Adarsh's powers - he needed more practice to get better, to figure out his powers better and know how they worked, but the only way he could actually practice was the one thing nobody actually wanted. "Next time we get attacked and people get hurt, try to pay attention to how you're doing things, what kind of wounds you heal. The more we know, the better, really."

Darcy nodded lightly. "I do believe there is an ending in sight, we are just not aware of it currenlty. It was probably all there, told to us when we signed up, it's was all just taken away and now we gotta actually figure it all out for ourselves. But there is no way there isn't an end in sight for all of this." She sounded as convicted and certain of her words as if she was talking about something so simple as the sky being blue or the sun always rising in the morning.

Darcy couldn't help the small chuckle. "Yeah, not going to even try to deny that she's bossy, but in a way I don't mind. She has basis for it and has the best intentions of everyone. She can be bossy all she wants, as far as I am concerned." And okay, maybe she was into it a little bit, she couldn't help but think, but she pushed the thoughts and that one time away from her mind. That was really not something to think about now. "But yeah, I get along well with Akhila, I respect her immensely, and everything she tries to do for all of us." A raised eyebrow. "Do you not like her?"

She tilted her head, confusion written all over her face, trying to wrap her head around the words Adarsh just said. Doing the healing for himself. "How can you heal people for yourself? That just doesn't make sense to me."

What he said after made it maybe a bit more clear what he meant before, but still, Darcy just could not understand Adarsh sometimes. "Okay, I'm going to ask you something and I need you to not get pissed off about it, but-- you are not like that with me. You were at the beginning when we met, but not for most of the time we've known each other. And as much as I believe I am great and right and all that, I doubt it's my stellar personality solely the reason for it. Be with others like you are with me and they will see the difference.

"Not to mention, you make it clear that you don't like that you are figuring out that you're selfish or easily frustrated and angerable. The latter two is harder to control, I am aware of that, but why not just try to be different? It's not easy to override instinct, trust me I know, but if you don't like who you think you were before, you could just try to change it. Be nice to others, don't yell at them, don't punch people right out of the gate."

She frowned, listening to the secret Adarsh got. "As far as I know, it's a person who is influential in their field, but that just-- That just sounds weird. Spotting? Forced retirement? Illuminaty? All of it together makes absolutely no sense." She looked up at him. "And I'm guessing nobody raised their hand that it's about them, right?"

[zaidshair]

Zaid really just thought he was being clever. Making an argument out of an argument, counter-points that had little effect on Darcy, considering her own convictions. Or how cheery and upbeat she always seemed to be about things here. About her idea of reality. He'd reached a point where he didn't think Darcy really got upset about anything, not deeply.

He did wonder what that felt like, and perhaps felt a misplaced envy about Darcy's solid convictions, as well.

She even offered a bit of bolster, with her assurance and belief in hope. 'Confidence', she called it. "I could never be like you, darling." Words that seemed like they should be insulting, but Zaid just sort of...sighed them instead. A pinch of wistfulness in his tone. A bit of that envy sifting through.

Regardless, Zaid was flustered when they'd seemed to off-rail completely from the idea of practicing powers. Darcy was full-tilt into a rant, and Zaid stopped to listen, staring her in the eye. He wanted to yell 'why are you attacking me??' but it just sounded petulant in his head.

So he got angry instead, spat out his own attempts at deriding Darcy - or her brother, really. A real person who...ah. Her brother was a real person. He was real, to her! He wasn't a simulation, but he wasn't here, with her, like Tej was with Zaid. Maybe the brother didn't fit her schema. Maybe this brother fucked up her entire new world view.

Fucking Tej. Of course he'd gotten involved in all this, somehow.

Zaid thought he'd had Darcy sussed. "You can't 'cheat' on Tej, love. Tej would have to care first, for it to be considered cheating. Yeah. Tej isn't the kindest person, alright? Not when he's been..." Not when he's been hurt. Somehow, Zaid couldn't bring himself to confess Tej's inner wounds, to Darcy.

But he hadn't gotten much of a point across except self-flagellating bitterness, and Darcy literally stepped in to say it, plain and simple: Zaid had hurt Tej, irreparably. Zaid glared right back at Darcy, close enough they were almost nose to nose.

"And you talk about hope..." he sneered in derision (and sad to be derisive. He'd really liked Darcy's idea of hope...). He snorted. "You see? Hope is for the fairy tales in your muddled little mind, love. Not for real life. My life is real."

Back to her brother. But now that Zaid believed he understood the misfire in Darcy's poor delusional head, he lifted his hands, and took a gracious step back (silently congratulating himself on his patience and hospitality. See Tej? I'm not all just temper and ego.)

"Alright. Okay. Fine, Darcy. No more mention of...anything about family, on both our ends, yeah? You don't ask me about mine, I won't say a word about yours. We've gone quite off the rails, love; can we get back to what we were doing?"

Zaid motioned towards the shadowed trees. "A demonstration?"

[darcyxpalmer]

Before she got to the beach, it was Darcy who always kept her cool - nothing else was simply allowed. If she got mad, if she let herself loose her head, it would just draw more attention, she'd slip out some kind of information that she wasn't supposed to. So she kept quiet and kept her head down.

But now, she wondered - was it because her self-control was so good or was it because nobody knew a single thing about her and thus didn't have a clue what buttons to push. (Except for one person, of course, who knew just the right buttons to push and now he was gone and thinking of him still after all this time hurt even though none of it fucking should.)

(It was also absolutely the second, though in the moment she wasn't really willing to admit it.)

She would have loved to say that if Zaid didn't deescalate, she would have, but she wasn't completely sure if she would have had it in her. She wanted to believe it, though, so she just pushed past the question and took a couple of steps back, took a couple of deep breaths as she stared at Zaid. No questions or mentions of family and it goes both way. "That sounds like a fair agreement, i'm okay with that."

Her doing a demonstration of her own powers was probably a good way to get back to not yelling at each other, she she nodded and looked around, and stepped a bit further back, closer to the treelines at the edge of the obsidian beach where there was shade.

She closed her eyes, took a couple of deep breaths and let herself be guided by the call of the darkness from the darkness among the actual trees. One, two, three seconds passed while she waited, let the pull get stronger, became sure she was heading to the right direction, and then she let herself get pulled and when she opened her eyes, she was a couple of trees deep into the forest.

"Pretty cool, yeah?" she called out and just for fun, instead of just walking back, she stepped through the shadows again to the place where she started off of. "I have a pretty good control at this point when it comes to easier distances and directions, but one can't practice enough."

Speaking of practice-- she looked down at her shoes for a second before glancing back up and carefully saying, "You didn't blow up, not sure if it registered for you yet." And she was sure pushing some buttons.

[calamitydarling]

location: edge of a forest @chancedarling, @darcyxpalmer

"I've just been mad with guilt, you see," Calamity had found and cornered Darcy, coincidentally(?) close to the pathway that led to the cave. The cave, where she and Chance had discovered a huge vault door. And Darcy, the Darlings had decided, was the best candidate to open it. By some luck (? Chance?), Darcy just happened to be roving very close to the path.

Chance must be nearby! So Calamity accosted Darcy, to gauge Darcy's temperature since, well. Since their last...horrible...terrifying...adventure. And to maybe persuade Darcy to join her, yet again! See, this was why she needed Chance. It couldn't just be Calamity and Darcy alone.

Too many memories. Would Darcy even be bothered by this? Or was it all just...on Calamity's side? She felt a little antsy around Darcy now, and maybe Chance was a good buffer for both women.

"I keep thinking about what we did and...I wanted to apologize, honestly. It was all panic and instinct, me! I've had a rough life, so I react to things poorly, like. Trauma. So much trauma, and triggers! Sooooo much triggers. Not an excuse, but a reason, yeah?" Calamity blinked winsomely at Darcy, holding her hands together in breathless anticipation. "Can you forgive me?"

Movement at the corner of her eye, and Calamity gave a tremulous (and genuinely relieved) grin. "Oh! Here's my brother! Chance! You two are already good friends, yeah?"

[darcyxpalmer]

As much as Calamity looked antsy, Darcy just felt calm around Calamity. Not cause she didn't feel guilt - she hasn't been able to stop thinking about what happened with the two of them, what her powers did to Calamity and how it could have ended horribly, to say the least.

But that was the thing - it just could have ended badly, but it didn't. And that was due to Calamity. And having that knowledge, having Calamity there, somehow made Darcy feel so much safer automatically.

(Granted, yes, she knew that it wasn't that simple and it wasn't something Calamity could do without an end, it wasn't a bottomless use, but it made the difference then and Darcy believed it could make the difference in life and death situations.)

"What? Calamity, no, please-- you don't need to apologize. I split you in half and you just didn't want that to happen all over again, I totally understand that. You have nothing to apologize for. If anyone, it's me - I should have never been so overconfident and tried to take you along, I should have known it could end up hurting you. I am the one that's sorry."

She followed Calamity's gaze shifting, glad to see that smile on the woman's face, her eyes landing on Chance. She felt so unsure around Chance since she realized what slip of secret Chance got, but for now, she just greated the other with a smile. "Yeah, good friends. Really, if it wasn't for your brother, I would probably not even be here, him saving my ass at the Tower."

@chancedarling

[darcyxpalmer]

status: closed with @selinswonderland where: exploring The Tower™

In a way it felt like Christmas morning all over again, as far as Darcy was concerned.

She's been meaning to get into the Tower since the beginning, really, and even more so after Chance and her tried to get in and she saw those words graffiti-ed onto the top of the building (something that almost ended in tragedy, but Darcy tried not thinking about that part of the adventure). The fact that now they could go right in...

(It didn't sit right with her, the fact that it had to be through the grave, there should be a normal entrance somewhere, but she'd take what she could get for now - not to mention now they actually had a better chance of finding another entrance inside, too.)

It also somehow just felt so overwhelming, so many new things she wanted to take a look at, explore and figure out, she didn't even know where to start. She could spend days in here and not run out of new things to find, she was sure of it.

Like the restrains on the bed in one of the rooms of the first floor. "Have you seen these?" she asked Selin, her fingers running along the material as she noticed one of them. She looked over at the other beds - from first glace all of them having them as well. "This must have been where we all were held while we were in the simulation." It just made sense to her, not even considering any other (much more sinister) possibility. "The fact that we've been able to get inside is huge, Selin!"